DANISH BURGERS WITH HERB CAPER SAUCE AND A MOD SALAD

Danish Burgers with Herb Caper Sauce and a Mod Salad image

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (a palmful)
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
5 button mushrooms, stems discarded, finely chopped
1/4 pound Havarti with dill cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling, plus a couple tablespoons for the salad
1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or snipped with kitchen scissors
2 tablespoons capers, drained, then run your knife through them once
1 English (seedless) cucumber (the one wrapped in plastic), cut in half lengthwise, then sliced into half-moons
1 small red onion, sliced
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and thinly sliced
1-pound sack of washed baby spinach
2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 crusty poppyseed rolls
2 large radishes, thinly sliced
1 sack of gourmet potato chips, such as Terra Chips Onion and Herb Yukon Gold, or Blue Potato Chips

Steps:

In a bowl, thoroughly combine the ground chicken, poultry seasoning, shallots, Dijon mustard, mushrooms, Havarti, salt, and pepper. Score the meat with your hand into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a large 1-inch-thick patty.
Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle EVOO over the patties and place them in the hot skillet. Cook for 6 minutes per side until the patties are firm to the touch and cooked through.
While the burgers are cooking prepare the herb caper sauce and mod salad. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise or sour cream, dill, and capers. Set aside. In a salad bowl combine the cucumbers, red onion, plum tomatoes, and three quarters of the baby spinach. Dress the salad with white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, then drizzle with a couple tablespoons of EVOO to coat the salad lightly and evenly. Toss to combine and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
Split the rolls. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms. Top with sliced radishes, the remaining baby spinach, and a heaping spoonful of the herb-caper dressing slathered across the bun tops. Add the remaining sauce to the salad and toss for a creamy finish. Fancy chips finish the plate.
The colder the semisoft Havarti with dill cheese is, the easier it will be to dice. Pop the cheese in the freezer while you prep everything else. Because of the fat content of the cheese, just 10 minutes in a deep freeze makes the dicing a real breeze!